Yin Yoga

Yesterday, after a week of 30th birthday shenanigans (hi I’m a grownup now), Harriet and I went to a three-hour Yin Yoga class at new studio The Yoga Space London, on the Royal Arsenal.  Added bonus; I got to test out my fancy Liforme yoga mat too. Ha.

Three hours sounds like a lot of yoga, right? Wrong. Three hours of yoga is amazing.  Technically, I guess, it was two and a half hours of yoga, and then half an hour of a sound bath and savasana. I am so zen now.

The Yoga Space website explains Yin Yoga like this…
Yin Yoga is very much the practice of slowing down. We live in an increasingly, fast paced environment, how often do we really take time to connect with sensations in the physical and mental body?
Yin Yoga provides an opportunity to slow down and connect with ourselves. Postures are done mainly seated or lying down and are held for several minutes allowing the muscular system to relax and soften. Yin yoga encourages self-acceptance, space, inner enquiry and a state of peace.

Having three hours to practice it was a perfect amount of time, and went really quickly!  There were no standing poses, but the class definitely had parts that were pretty challenging – holding a pose for 5-10 minutes is harder than you might think (also, I’m apparently much bendier on one side than on the other…?!)

Lying under a nice fluffy blanket with an eye mask whilst Dolores worked her gong magic was a perfect end to the class.  There’s an hour and a half gong bath at the end of this month, and – work allowing – I’m definitely going to go.  It’s the most chilled I’ve felt for a really long time.

I’ve borrowed this picture from The Yoga Space London’s facebook page – look how cute the little room is!

The Yoga Space only opened its doors last month, and this was the first class I’ve been to there, but I loved it.  The studio is such a nice little space, with a great big window at the front, and the classes are all really small.  There are going to be Yin Yoga workshop classes every month, as well as tons of daily classes in all different sorts of yoga – the class schedule is here.

Harriet and I followed up our super zen yoga class with a LOT of carbs and wine (first one v recommended, second one not so much – drink lots of water) at Con Gusto, and honestly I could eat the gnocchi in there forever.  As an end to my birthday week off work, it was pretty awesome.

I’d love to know if you’ve done a Yin Yoga class before, or if you’ve tried a gong bath (I was really intrigued, and it was so great) – what do you think?

 

 

(DISCLAIMER: I paid for my workshop place, and only decided I was even going to write about it after going – Dolores set up The Yoga Space London by herself and its incredible.  Go support her and the studio, and get your head decluttered at the same time.)